PALFINGER EPSILON TZ12: A partner for generations

Together with two other operators, they spend their working day in the forest, an environment that has been very familiar to them since childhood. Hrvoje never had any other career aspirations and always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. He hopes that his young son will also join the family business one day.

The company has not only seen generations within the family, but also various generations of cranes have been in use thanks to the long-standing partnership with PK-PALFINGER d.o.o. The contact with PK-PALFINGER d.o.o. in Croatia led to a successful collaboration, which was based on mutual trust from the beginning and continues to this day. We now have an interview with Hrvoje Šop: 

What do you value most about your job and what do you think are the most important aspects of timber transportation?
Hrovje: The most important things in timber transportation are coordination and precision. What I appreciate most is the variety, as no day is boring or monotonous. You can only love this job because it involves much more than just driving a truck. It's also about operating the crane, coordinating with colleagues and customers, navigating in the forest, which is often difficult, and everything else that goes with it. 

Tell us about your new GENERATION 3 crane, why did you choose it and how does it help you in your day-to-day work?
Hrvoje: We bought our first crane from PALFINGER EPSILON around 25 years ago and have worked with EPSILON cranes ever since without any problems. We have now been using the new GENERATION 3 TZ12 for a few months, which is characterized by increased speed and outreach. This crane makes our work much easier. We have decided on the new GENERATION 3 because my father taught me to always keep up with the latest technology. In addition, EPSILON cranes have a quality that has reached an enviable level over time.

Where are we today and why are we here?
Hrvoje: Today we are in the Spačvan forest near Vinkovci in eastern Croatia. This forest is of great importance as it is the oldest Lužnjak oak forest in this region of Europe. In the summer of 2023, there was a violent storm here in which many ash and oak trees were knocked over by the strong winds. We are here to salvage the fallen trees and take them to a sawmill for further processing. The preservation and maintenance of this forest is very important to us, both for ourselves and for our beautiful country of Croatia.